Power transmission means



Oct. 24, 1944.

S. H. BROOKS POWER TRANSMISSION MEANS Original Filed Aug. 21, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVE NTOR

ATTORNEY Y CCL 24, 1944 SMH. BRooKs Re 22,555

POWER TRANSMISS ION MEANS Original Filed Aug. 21', 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Hh y 1 AReisstled Oct. 24, 1944 Re.b 22,555

POWER TRANSMISSION MEANS Stephen H. Brooks, New York, N. Y., assignor to Brooks Equipment Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Original No. 2,281,913, datedPMay 5, 1942, Serial No. 353,476, August 21, 1940. Application for reissue December 22, 1943, Serial No. 515,302

6 Claims.

This invention relates to machine elements, particularly coupling elements, and more especially power transmission means.

A .principal object of this invention is the production of a device of the type specified which is so constructed that all parts may be easily, sufficiently, and properly lubricated.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of the type specified which will be simple in construction, readily built, easily installed and maintained, and durable and eilicient in operation.

Further objects and advantages will appear as the description of the invention and the particular physical embodiments selected to illustrate the invention progresses, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended .'claims.

In describing the invention in detail, and the* particular physical embodiments selected to illustrate the invention, 'reference will be had to the accompanying drawings and the several views in all other planes passed through and including the longitudinal axis of shaft 4. One extreme of the arc is occupied by the shaft 3, as'shown thereon., in which, like characters of references designate like parts throughout the several views, and in which: I

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, with some parts broken away to more clearly lillustrate the construction and differentpossible positions of some parts shown by dotted lines, of a'device embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan viewv of the device as shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the plane indicated by the line III-III of Fig. 2, viewed in the direction of the arrows at the ends of the line; Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the plane indicated by the line IV-IV of Fig. 3, viewed in the direction of the arrows at' the ends of the line; Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view on the plane indicated by the line V-V of Fig. 1, viewed in the direction of the arrows at the ends of the line; Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a ball gear usable with the invention; Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a socket gear; Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view, corresponding to the cross sectional view, Fig. 3, ofa modified form of theinvention; Fig. 9 is a View, corresponding to Fig. 6, of a ball gear usable with the modified form of the invention as shown by Fig. 8.

The interconnecting or driving and driven parts of my invention, as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, are the members- I and 2, one of which, say I, is attached to a shaft 3 which is driven in any suitable or appropriate manner and causes, by its motion, a movement of a member 2 and so o f shaft 4 attached thereto.

Shaft 3 is journaled in a housing 5,`and shaft 4 is journaled in a housing Il.

- The housings 5 and 6 are pivoted one on the' other so as to be oscillatable about the axis 'l so that the shafts 3 and 4 may take various angular positions .one'to the other through an arc of 90 degrees in the plane of the drawing paper and in full lines in Fig. 1, and the other by the dotted line position of shaft 3 in the same ligure. The extreme position in one direction, the full line position of shaft 3 in Fig. 1 is determined by the engagement of limiting stops 3 and 3, oneon housing 5 and the other on housing Ii. The limiting position at the other extreme is preferably determined by the engagement of the edges of the housings 5 and 6.

A preferred construction for pivoting one housing on the other into form mating ears, in pairs, as 21 and 28 on housing 5 and ears 29 and 30 on housing 6. Each ear is oriced and pivot pins 3|. and 32 are positioned in the orifices.

The socket member I is, preferably, substantially a disc with a plurality of sockets, I0, in

shaft 3, the socket member seating against thev shoulder I3. The socket member I is preferably retained in place on shaft 3 by means of the headless screw I4.

The ball member 2 is positioned and retained on shaft 4, preferable, in an exactly similar manner to the way in which socket member I is mounted and retained on shaft 3. This ball member 2 has, in general, the form of a disc having positioned about its periphery, a plurality, in this case, 8, teeth I4, each terminative in a head, which -is hemispherical or globular.

The proportioning of the parts is such that the hemispherical heads I4 fit and mesh with the reversely formed sockets Il) of the socket member I so that a rotative movement of either causes a rotative movement of the other. l

The housing 5 is formed with a screw threaded cavity I5, continued by a small bore duct IG terminating at the inside surface ofthe bore or orifice I1 in which the shaft ispositioned. The shaft 3 is reduced in diameter from the mouth of the duct I6 to the shoulder I9, thus forming an annular duct. The annular duct I8 connects with a plurality of ducts 20, each terminating in asocket depression I0. Lubricant may be forced into duct I6 and so to each of the socket depressions III so that these may be well lubricated at'all times. To conveniently do'this, the commonly used fitting 2|, known as an Alemite fitting, may be preferably employed.` By the means shown, not only the socket depression I0, well lubricated but also, the contacting surfaces of the socket member and the housing 5 and also the journal for shaft 3.

, Housing 6 is similarly constructed to housing 5 to lubricate the shaft 4 and the bearing surface between the member 2 and housing 6.

`i'ls it may be necessary to, at times, position one Vor the other of the housings 5 and B, each is formed with cylindrical protuberance, as 22 and 23. One or the other of these may be grasped eral arrangement is the same as is the form shown by Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive.

In the form illustrated by Fig. 8,radial thrust bearings, 33 and 3l have been installed to reduce friction. Needle bearings 35 and 36 have also been included. I'he lubricant ducts have been slightly altered to properly conduct the lubricant to the various surfaces. Annular felt 31 and 38 has been positioned to prevent undue escape of 'lubricant between the gears and the housings, and felt 33 and Ill has been interposed between the collars and the end of the housings to prevent escape of lubricant at such points. The driving teeth Il corresponding to the teeth Il of Fig. 3 have been made as a separate part and inserted inV disk I2 in orices, as 43, formed therein. The teeth are held in place in any suitable or appropriate manner, the construction shown includes cooperating shoulders at 44 and a headed end 45.

Although one particular physical embodiment of my invention and one modification only thereof has been described, nevertheless, it is desired to have it understood that the forms selected are merely illustrative and do not exhaust the possible physical embodiments of the idea of means underlying the invention.

What is new and desired to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a lubricated shaft and gear, including incombination: a housing formed'with an orilice for receiving a shaft; a shaft positioned in the orifice; a gear attached to the end of the shaft, said gear formed with ducts, said shaft formed with a reduced portion adjacent toA and extending to the gear; and communicating with one end of the' ducts; means to lead lubricant to said reduced portion extending to the gear face whereby lubricant may then pass through the through ducts in said gear.

2. In a lubricated shaft and gear, including, in combination: a housing formed with an oriiice for receiving a shaft; a gear in the housing; a shaft in the on'ce of the housing and attached to the gear and extending without the pin therein; shafts, one in each housing orifice; a gear having ball-top teeth attached to the end of one shaft; and a gear attached to the end of the other shaft and having reverse- 1y formed depressions mating with the teeth of the first-mentioned gear, said ball-top teethy each comprising a semi-spherical top portion and a cylindrical lower portion, both portions having outer surfaces merging into one continuous smooth surface, and said reversely-formed mating depressions each having a surface partly a spherical segment and partly a cylindrical segment to receive said semi-spherical top and r cylindrical lower portion.

5. Power-transmission means, including, in combination a first housing formed with an orifice for receiving a shaft; a second housing formed'with an orifice for receiving a shaft; each of the housings provided with ears aligning with ears of the other and the ears formed with aligning orifices and each orifice having a pivot pin therein; shafts, one in each housing orice; a pair of mating gears, eachembodying a supporting disc and said pair of gears being composed of a gear having a ball-top teeth and attached to the end of one shaft; and a gear attached to the end of the other shaft and having reversely formed depressions mating with the teeth of the other gear, said ball-top teeth each comprising a semi-spherical top portion and a cylindrical lower portion, both portions having outer surfaces merging into one continuous smooth surface, and said reversely-formed mating depressions each having a surface partly a spherical segment and partly a cylindrical segment to receive said semi-spherical top and cylindrical lower portion, a part of said cylindrical portions being positioned closely adjacent to the perimeter of the supporting disc, and each of said reversely-formed mating depressions having its cylindrical segment opening to the peri- Ymetric edges of said supporting disc.

6. Power-transmission means, including, in combination: a rst housing formed with an orice for receiving a shaft; a second housing formed with an orice for receiving a shaft; each of the housings provided with ears aligning .with ears of the other and the ears formed with aligning orifices and each orifice having a pivot pin therein; shafts, one in each housing orifice; a pair of mating gears, each embodying a supporting disc and said pair of gears being composed of a. gear having ball-top teeth and attached to the end of one shaft; and a gear attachedto the end ofthe other shaft and havl ing reversely formed depressions mating with housing; means, including an annular space formed by Yreducing the shaft, and ducts in the gear whereby lubricant is directed through the gear.

l3rIn a. lubricated shaft and gear, including,

in combination: a housing formed with an ori-A ce for receiving a shaft; a gear in the housing;

a shaft in the oriiice of the housing and attached to the gear and extending without the housing; means, including an annular space surrounding the shaft, and ducts in the' gear whereby' lubricant is directed through the gear.

4. Power-transmission means, including, in combination: a flrst housing formed with an orifice for receiving a shaft; a second housing formed with an orifice for receiving a shaft; each of the housings provided with ears aligning with ears of the other and the ears formed with aligning orifices and each orifice havinga pivot the teeth of the other gear, said ball-top teeth each comprising a semi-spherical top lportion and a cylindrical lower portion, both portions having outer surfaces merging into one continuous smooth surface, and said reverselyn formed mating depressions each having a surside said -perimetr-ic edge, and said mating depressions each being positioned closely adjacent to the edge of its supporting disc and having its cylindrical segment opening entirely on to said permetric edge of the supporting disc.-

STEPHEN H. BROOKS. 

